What’s to love about food co-ops? So much! Co-ops have a cool way of doing things differently. They’re people working together for better food, stronger communities and a healthier world. And cooperative grocers are making a big impact. A new study, Healthy Foods Healthy Communities: The Social and Economic Impacts of Food Co-ops,* quantifies the impact food co-ops have as compared to conventional grocery stores. The study’s compelling results demonstrate the many ways that food co-ops do well while doing good.
Unlike their conventional counterparts, co-ops are owned and governed by member-shoppers and rooted in principles like community, voluntary and open membership, economic participation and cooperation. Because of these principles and practices, food co-ops inherently serve and benefit the communities where they are located. For example, the study finds that for every dollar spent at a food co-op, $0.38 is reinvested in the local economy compared to $0.24 at conventional grocers.